The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 48

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098

USA > New York > Jefferson County > The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894 > Part 48

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Marinus W. Gilbert, who, for many years, was associated with John Sigourney in the management of the old cotton factory, is well remembered as a genial and kind- hearted man. On Saturday afternoons, in the fall, when the work of the week was over, it was Gilbert's custom to have the factory boys gather on Factory Square, while he, with a large basket of apples stood on the south side of the square, throwing the apples and watching with lively interest

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their excited scrambles for possession of the coveted fruit.

WAGES AND COST OF LIVING.

A comparison of the former times with the present, in respect to the above men- tioned points, will reveal no slight contrast, and show no little gain to the wage-worker of to-day. Carpenters, painters, etc., re- ceived $1.50 per day in 1830. Sammel Had- dock, a blacksmith, kept four children in school on $1.75 per day. Other mechanics were paid in proportion. Servant girls re- ceived 75 cents per week. There was, how- ever, one compensation for these low wages. Board for men could be procured at $1.50 per week; for women, 75 cents to $1 per week. The cost of most articles of food was correspondingly low. Butter 8 to 12 cents per pound; potatoes, 18§ per bushel; wood. $1.50 per cord, and other articles of household necessity, with the exception of clothing, in like proportion. Clothing and boots and shoes were much more expensive in 1832 than now. Necessity compelled the exercise of great economy in living, and people were satisfied with a style of dress and slenderness of wardrobe, which would now be regarded as a hardship to submit to. Broadcloth and silks were worn only by the more wealthy ; "satinet," a mixture of cotton and wool, for men's wear, and calico for women, being the goods most worn. Nor was this close economy limited to dress, but was of necessity generally observ- able in all that pertained to domestic life or household economy. Carpets were very rarely seen except in the houses of the wealthy, and the furniture was all severely plain.

The generally low scale of wages was not the only, nor perhaps the chief embarrass- ment that wage-earners had to contend with in that early time. A method of doing business prevailed, which in its working was quite as inimical to progress as the pal- try renumeration for services. That was paying in "store pay," as it was termed. An order was given on some store, for goods of such kind as were kept by the dealer. The evils of this system were two- fold. It reduced the holder of the order to the necessity of taking such goods as were left, and gave him but a small margin for choice, and he was exposed to the liability of having to pay an extra price.

This poor system of doing business was much aggravated when the Jefferson Cot- ton Mills Company went into operation, late in the twenties. It was said that when Beebee came to Watertown to inaugurate that enterprise, the storekeepers of the place went to him and endeavored to get him to commit himself to the system al- ready in vogue with them, and that at first he demurred to their solicitation, but was finally induced to fall into line. He accord- ingly issued due bills of various denomina- tions, large and small, and having con-

spicuously upon them a cut of his great cotton mills. "All of which tended to render them more acceptable to the holder than the merely written order. The result was that the town was flooded with " Beebee's shin-plasters," as they were derisively termed. By this means business was ham- pered and enterprise checked, and the wage-earners probably made to suffer.

A somewhat stirring little episode oc- curred in the early days in Watertown, re- lating to the title to the bank of Black river lying opposite Beebee's Island. Mr. Beebee had been to Brownville, and looked over the ground there with a view of com- mencing a building for the manufacture of cotton cloth. He had been attracted to this locality from Otsego county by the mag- nificent water power of the river, then just beginning to be developed at Watertown.

The Brownville people, who had already established a small plant for manufacturing cotton, were very anxious to secure Mr. Beebee ; but, after patient investigation (in which he was aided by William Smith, so long and favorably known as an experienced engineer), he concluded to establish him- self at Watertown. After this determina- tion was known, the Brownville people comprehended that the land on Beebee's Island would be valueless for a water-power without the right to dam the river, which could only be done by anchoring the dam to the Pamelia shore, and that land had not up to that time been sold by Mr. LeRay. So they concluded to divert Mr. Beebee from his project by speedily buying that land. But Mr. Beebee was informed of their attempt and prepared himself accord- ingly. Israel Symonds kept the hotel at that time in Watertown, and he had a span of fleet horse. Mr. Smith, acting for Bee- bee, engaged this team to be ready at 3 o'clock in the morning, and Smith and Bee- bee started thus early to reach LeRaysville, expecting to secure from Mr. LeRay a con- tract for 125 acres on the Pamelia shore, which would make a neat farm as well as relieve any objection to anchoring one end of the dam there. The papers were duly drawn and executed, and Messrs. Beebee and Smith were about leaving the land office when the Brownville people came up. their horses well blown, but they were too late. Civil exchanges of " good morning " followed, but the Brownville people were very much taken aback.

Mr. Beebee made Mr. Smith his superin- tendent, and the renowned Beebee's factory was erected by Mr. Smith from drawings furnished by an architect. The walls were all up and the building fully roofed and en- closed before Mr. Beebee ever saw it -a fitting tribute to Mr. Smith's capacity and unquestioned integrity.

Beebee's factory was burned in 1833, and that was the hardest blow the town ever suffered, for by it the place lost also Mr. Beebee, a matter of more consequence than

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the loss of property. It was a wonderfully well built factory, of stone- its waterways blasted through solid rock, guaranteeing a vast power at but trifling expense for fur- ther repairs. The mill, when fully de- veloped, was expected to employ 400 to 500 hands.

Beebee's Island was once called Cowan's Island, the name being changed when the Beebee's possessions there were so exten- sive. It is said that Cowan once offered the whole island to Jonathan Baker for $10, but Baker offered $5, with no sale. They little dreamed that the island would eventually be worth more than the appraised value of half the lands then occupied in Jefferson county.

Judge Jabez Foster was here at an early day. His daughter married Adriel Ely. The judge had three sons, Gustavus A., Ja- bez, Jr., and Morris. Jabez married a daughter of Judge Ten Eyck. Gustavus removed to Cleveland early in the thirties, the two younger sons followed soon after, and the judge himself went to Monroe, Mich., and there closed his days.

Among the merchants not otherwise men- tioned, was W. K. Hawkes; he married a daughter of Jared Carroll, who was at one time a piano maker in Boston, and followed the business of cabinet making and house- carpentering here. His wife was a sister of H. Farrington, Sr. Hawkes was in busi- ness with A. C. Cady, and afterwards cashier of the Union Bank. He went from here to New York and died there.

The Seligman brothers, William and Jesse, were in the mercantile business here soon after the big fire. They went from here to San Francisco, and subsequently turned up in New York, where they became leading bankers of the country and amassed princely fortunes, one of them dying lately, much regretted.

Samuel F. Bates, at one time a partner of Jasan Fairbanks, afterwards sold dry goods and boots and shoes on Court street. He resided on the corner of Benedict and Arse- nal streets, and later built and occupied the dwelling on the corner of Stone street and Massey avenue. His wife was a sister of Mrs. G. W. Knowlton. Mrs. Bates, after the death of her husband, moved to Wash- ington.

One of the early settlers was Joseph Clark, father of the late Charles Clark, and of Dr. Richard Clark, the latter of whom studied and practiced medicine with Dr. Amasa Trowbridge. About 1833 Dr. Clark was commissioned a surgeon in the army. He went to Florida and died there. The Clarks had two sisters, one of whom married Dyer Huntington, and the other became the wife of Alonzo Bradner, once a merchant in New York.

One of the oldest blocks on the Square is that at the east end, north of the Baptist church, originally built by Frederick W. White, and in part occupied by White &

Van Namee as a cabinet store. At an early period Harbottle & Howard opened a stove and hardware store, and did business there over thirty years.

The carriage and wagon makers were: O. & C. Colwell, who had a shop on Beebee's Island, and who built stages for Kinniston & Buckley; Harlow Scovill and Levi Palmer, as Scovill & Palmer, carried on the wagon- making business extensively. Scovill & Colwell erected the brick building now oc- cupied by York & Son, and manufactured fine carriages. Noyes Tuttle came here from Boonville and started a carriage shop where the Harris House now is. Jasan Fair- banks was likewise a wagon maker at one time. Benj. F. Berry was engaged in mak- ing carpenter's planes with John Ransom.

A. B. Turner and W. H. Sigourney, bro- thers-in law, were in the watch and jewelry business in 1849 while Hitchcock, the in- ventor, was their apprentice.

One Wittgenstein, a Gernian Jew, kept a liquor store in the Fairbanks block at the time of the great fire. He lived in the Buck- lin house and afterwards in that of G. C. Sherman.

Andrew Newell was the first brewer in town. He came here at an early day. Lo- cating at the foot of Court street, he built the brewery where the freight-house now stands; likewise the dwelling long occupied by the Haas family. Mr. Haas was the successor of Mr. Newell in his business and residence. Mr. Newell was an eccentric character, formerly a sea captain. Having no children, he adopted one, who became the wife of Gen. A. N. Corss. He also brought up Edson Bacon, a son of Moses Bacon. With many estimable qualities, he was noted for his plainness of speech and his profanity.

One Butler built a public house, corner of Mill and Factory street, in 1827 or 1828, call- ing it "Butler's Tavern." He kept it a few years, and then sold out and moved to Chi- cago. In 1839 it was owned by Geo. W. Tripp, a carpenter, who sold it to Francis R. Lamon. His children were born there. Mr. Buck, one of the parties who built the "Kirby House," succeeded Lamon, and he in turn was succeeded by Mr. Gates (father of E. M. Gates), who kept the house until he went into the "Harris House." On the opposite side of Factory street was another hostelry, kept by J. L. Huntington, brother of Dyer Huntington. It was kept as a tem- perance house, the first in town. Dyer Huntington was a strong temperance man. After Huntington left it, Butler Ranny kept it, and H. D. Sewall and his family boarded there while his house was being erected on Sewall's Island.

Among the early mechanics were Wm. Ellwood, a carpenter, who finished the Woodruff House; Levi Comins, a mill- wright; Benj. Gibbs, also a carpenter, resid- ing on Jay street; Wesley Sage, also a car- penter, who built the Presbyterian church,

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long since rebuilt. Josiah Huckins, also a carpenter, who lived on the south side of State street, and afterwards removed to Carthage and died there; James H. Meigs, also a carpenter, who lived on Sterling street: E. Y. Albro, another carpenter, who lived on Factory street; James Ballard, brother of the late Undertaker Ballard, who married a daughter of Alvin Hunt.

It is quite certain that the first male child born in Jefferson county was William R. Gates, whose parents then resided in Cham- pion. The date is Dec. 25, 1801-Christmas day-certainly a lucky omen. This child re- mained in Champion with his parents until 32 years of age, when he removed to Car- thage, but finally settled in Antwerp, where he died.

Dexter Parker built the first dwelling house on the north side of the river between the buildings in Jewettville and the lower bridge.

Dr. John Safford was early in the field as a merchant, a contemporary of Hungerford, Elv, Farwell and Paddock. He came to Watertown from Martinsburgh. He adopted a novel manner of advertising, having the front of his building painted in squares of alternate colors, hence its designation as the " checkered store " Dr. Safford was rather independent as a merchant, and if any of the farmers' wives intimated that Paddock sold calico cheaper than he did, the Dr. would put the goods back on the shelf, and tell his customer, " Well, you'd better go to Paddock's and buy."

A. Newell was a carpenter and had a con- tract for finishing the interior of Hart Mas- sey's dwelling, at that time the only brick dwelling house in Watertown. It is not generally known that almost the first grist and saw-mill erected in Jefferson County was at Burrville, under an agreement by Hart Massey with the land agent, Silas Stow. This mill was erected in the summer of 1801, suitable for grinding corn, and thence- forth the old mortar on the Public Square, that had saved people from starvation, re- lapsed into " innoxuous desnetude." A saw- mill soon followed by Cowan, in 1802, and a grist-mill in 1803, both at Watertown.

Loveland Paddock, once a dry goods mer- chant, but later the president and owner of the Black River Bank, was a man of strong individuality and much business ability. But he was lacking in culture, ex- cept in all the more obvious means of mak- ing money. He erected several buildings, but nothing that he did in that direction failed to respond to the one idea of money - getting. In his bank he was very liberal with his customers, and the author has heard some of them speak feelingly of the assistance he gave them at trying periods in their business career. He cheerfully loaned Mr. Ingalls the money with which to start the Reformer, a newspaper that is to this day popular and useful. But Mr. Paddock always seemed quite indifferent to public

opinion, never favoring literature or relig- ion or public improvements, unless by some means they were to be a benefit to himself. He was a merchant and to a great extent dependent upon public favor, yet he never evinced the least regard for any other per- son's opinion, apparently possessing no idea that did not directly have a connection with his mania for accumulation. He had no influence as a man outside of his possession of money.

It is to be regretted that such appears to have often been the case with some of the rich men of Watertown at an early day, and until about the close of the rebellion. The remains of such a narrow view of life are yet apparent, but are not a forceful sen- timent. The wealth accumulated by its sor- did pursuit, in all the communities observed by the writer, becomes either dissipated in the second or third generation, or if re- tained by some descendants, is held by them without any apparent appreciation of the duty imposed upon those who possess wealth - which is to use it as a means of benefit- ting mankind, not as something to be clutched and actually "embraced." But posterity has its revenge. The men who be- came rich and made a generous and judici- ous use of their means, are remembered with pride and affection, and no laurel is too precious to lay upon their tombs; but the "nnwisely rich " are remembered in the light in which they lived, their names re- called, but their benelicences unknown. It is left to the imagination of our older read- ers to give to these ideas individual names; and such will not fail to reflect upon the ex- tent to which Watertown was retarded in its earlier growth by the unwillingness of its largest bankers and men of wealth to enter into any plan of manufacturing or any means by which the town would be in- creased in population. But there sprung up at last a better sentiment, the growth of young men's persistency, and capital has for the past twenty-five years found its most productive investment in the large estab- Îishments which line the noble river that for many years wasted its inviting waters for want of appreciation. Nor will the author record names that have been prominent in later and grander movements to build up Watertown-such names can be read upon the buildings their ingenuity and skill have erected, and the number of their employés tells the measure of their sagacity as well as their meed of praise for having kept step to the demands of progress and the needs of natural growth.

The power of money and its inherent weak- ness without the help of labor are well illus- trated in Watertown. While its capital was largely invested in "swapping notes." that is in discounting $50 and $100 promises to pay for needy farmers and mechanics, it re- mained a " village," provincial, narrow, un- known. But since its money has been largely diverted to manufacturing, the town has

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risen to a merited importance. Those who have aided in this work are well known, those who have stood aloof are also known. Some of these latter may have grand monu- ments in cemeteries, but their memories in the hearts of the people are difficult to dis- cover.

John Winslow was a gentleman to whom the author was indebted for many kindnesses when a young lad. for I passed his ample home and orchard often on my way to my father's place at the Sulphur Springs. One wintry Sunday, myself and brother William had been home on our regular weekly visit, for we were learning our trade at Water- town, and when we started to return Sunday afternoon, a snow storm was begun, which steadily increased in violence every hour. When we had reached Field's Settlement the snow was twelve inches deep, and it was bitter cold. There I was determined to stop and lie down, for I was very drowsy, but my older brother knew that my drowsiness was the sleep wbich accompanies exposure to in- tense cold. He cuffed and pulled me until I was ready to go on, but when we reached Mr. Winslow's house we were both barely able to get to the door. Many years after, and even now, I remember our reception there-how the masses of snow were brushed away from our frozen clothing, and our hair and throats relieved of the ice that had formed from the warmth of our bodies; how welcome nut-cakes and fragrant apples ap- peased our hunger, and the grateful fire soon made us resolute boys again. After a while the storm abated and we went on, warm, filled and happy.

Mr, Winslow was born in 1802. the son of a farmer, Samuel Winslow, who came to the Black River country in 1807, and settled upon a forest-covered farm, nearly three miles from Watertown village, though there was then no public road from the farm to that village. They were quite isolated, and John has been heard to say that a wolf's howling . was not an unusual sound to hear at night. Here Mr. Winslow spent his youth and manhood, receiving the education of the country school of that era, He was called often to positions of trust and honor, four years as supervisor of Watertown, and serv- ing one term in the Legislature. He was for many years Vice-President and a director in the Agricultural Insurance Company. A man of great amiability, of commanding presence, he readily won respect and confi- dence, for he was hospitable, benevolent, kind. He died in 1874, and is buried in Brookside. Gen. Bradley Winslow is his son, inheriting his martial spirit, for his father held several commissions in the State militia.

An interesting personality in Watertown is Mr. Harris Yale, father-in-law to Fred Far- well, one of Watertown's own sons, residing in the home his father built in 1828, the best possible comment upon the excellence of the buildings of that era. Mr. Yale was born

in Charlotte, Chittenden county, Vt., in 1811, and came to Watertown in 1849 to engage in business with D. D. Otis, his brother-in-law, the oldest hardware mer- chant then in business. This partnership continued thirteen years. In 1838 Mr. Yale married Mary Otis, of Galway, N. Y. They are both living with Mr. Farwell, and bear their years remarkablely well. There are but few older people in the city.

The funeral of J. J. Primeau, on June 23, 1894, recalls the terrible accident which served to turn Mr. Primeau's hair from a jet black to an iron gray, and which will never be forgotten by those who lived in Water- town at the time of the disaster. In June, 1850, Mr. Primeau purchased a flat bottom dorey, and put it in Black river, just above Beebee's Island. On August 1, 1850, Mr. Primeau's wife, his child, aged 5, his wife's mother, Mrs. Beausoliel. Mrs. Joseph Primeau and Miss Lois Bibaud, all highly respected French people, entered the boat and started to cross from the north to the south side of the river. As they reached the center of the stream on oar-lock broke and the party was carried over the small dam, which was located just above what was formerly called the " great falls." The boat then capsized, the helpless victims went over the falls and the whole five were drowned. Mrs. Joseph Primeau had only been married about three weeks, and had returned from her wedding trip but the Thursday before the accident. Miss Bibaud was a talented young lady, who set the type for the Phare de Lac, a French paper, pub- lished here at that time. The affair cast a gloom over the whole town and did muchi to create a wholesome fear for the treacher- ous currents of Black river. The writer was one of those who, aided by Mr. Stephen De Long, helped to remove the body of Mrs. Primeau from the rapid current of the river, where it had lodged upon a partially submerged rock.

Deacon Isaac Bacon, of the Baptist church, of Watertown, and Moses Bacon, for a long time sexton of the First Presby- terian church, were brothers. They were born in Natick, Conn., the same town that claimed Hon. Henry Wilson as a native. With their father they emigrated, early in this century, to the Black river country, locating in Lewis county. Isaac Bacon came to Watertown in 1839. He had three children, the eldest ( Lavina ), and the youngest ( Elizabeth ), married brothers, Avery and Dr. A. R. Thomas. The second daughter, Eleanor, died in 1841.

Eli Farwell was a man of unusual capac- ity, integrity and moral worth. He was the son of Dr. Isaac Morse Farwell, of Groton, Mass., who removed finally to Paris, Oneida county, N. Y., where Eli was born March 14, 1791. His father, in addition to his medical practice, had a small farm, where his sons acquired those habits and foundations in knowledge that served

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them so well in after life. Eli was of slender constitution, however, and though his parents desired him to become a profes- sional man, he determined to be a mason ; that occupation giving him more out-of- door exercise than any other. But after three years of experience at that trade he concluded that it was too great a tax upon his vitality, and was therefore abandoned. Wintering in Norfolk, Va., he returned home improved in health. For a few years he was more or less in merchandise, but his knowedge of mason work induced him to take some stone contracts on the Erie canal, in company with his brother Samuel, and they made considerable money from their venture.

In 1819 he married Miss Margaret Bray- ton, sister of Rev. Isaac Brayton, for many years the acceptable pastor of the First Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Farwell was an elder from 1837 until his death in 1866. In 1824 he came to Watertown, and pur- chased from L. Paddock his goods and store, and had for a long time as partner, Mr. Josiah W. Baker, under the firm name of Farwell & Baker.

In 1831 his failing heart warned him to seek some outside occupation that would keep him in the open air. He therefore took a large contract for masonry on the Delaware and Raritan canal, which took two years to complete, his young wife remaining with him until the contract was completed, his store in Watertown remain- ing in charge of his partner. In 1849 his health again failed him, and in company with his brother Samuel, he took a contract on a large reservoir at Boston, Mass., and after its completion he returned to Water- town and purchased an interest in the Union Mills, in which he continued for many years.

In 1835 he was chosen a member of the Legislature, serving with credit and accep- tability. He was also a director of the Watertown and Potsdam R. R., one of the first trustees of the Black River Literary and Religious Institute, and a director of the Jefferson County Mutual Insurance Company.

Among the more ancient cemeteries, we lately visited what it now called " the old burying ground," west of the Rome Railroad track. The place is properly protected by a good fence, and there has been lately laid upon the street front a nice, new plank walk. Interments were frequent there from 1825 to 1865, and are sometimes made there now, but much less seldom than from 1865 to 1880. Jonathan Massey, father of our carliest settler, Hart Massey, is buried there, dying in 1853, over 80 years of age, and Betsey, his wife, dying in 1819, also quite old. Hart Massey is also interred there, dying in 1853, aged 81, and his wife, Lucy, who departed this life in 1856, aged 85 years.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 48

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823- Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company Number of Pages: 1098

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098